The relationship between blood flow and pulsatility index in the superior mesenteric artery at rest and during constrictor stimuli in normal subjects

The relationships between superior mesenteric artery blood flow (SMABF) and pulsatility index (PI) measurement during rest (25 subjects) and stimuli constricting the SMA (16 subjects) have been studied in normal subjects. At rest and during constrictor stimuli, SMABF and PI were highly reproducible (r = 0.89, p < 0.01 for SMABF, and r = 0.97, p < 0.001 for PI) between two observers. There was significant correlation between changes in SMABF, PI, and SMA vascular resistance during the constrictor stimuli, except during head-up tilt when PI was unchanged. Both PI and SMABF measurements are reproducible and can be used to monitor physiological changes in suitable (18 of 25) subjects. PI measurement, although semiquantitative, by itself can also be used to monitor these changes. This may be also of importance in pathological situations such as intestinal ischemia, where measurement of volume blood flow may be less accurate due to irregularities of the vessel wall. PI measurement, however, ideally should not be used in studies involving postural change.